Home/Économie/ Facebook uploaded millions of users' contacts without their knowledge

Facebook uploaded millions of users' contacts without their knowledge

Michelle Couturier |Vendredi, Avril 19, 2019

Facebook harvested the email contacts of about 1.5 million users when they signed up to the service. Josh Edelson AFP Getty Images

Facebook did not respond to a request for comment, but a spokesperson told Business Insider that the company was deleting the contact data. Regardless of the intent behind this action, Facebook still admitted that it used the collected contacts to to improve its ad targeting capabilities. Facebook said these new users' contacts were "unintentionally uploaded" since May 2016, reports Business Insider. He noticed that when a new account was created, Facebook asked the user for their email password.

Facebook harvested the email contacts of about 1.5 million users when they signed up to the service.

Facebook said the issue began three years ago when it made changes to the step-by-step verification process users go through when signing up for an account on the platform.

"The error was discovered amid a change to the sign-up process made in March, " Facebook stated in a publication by the US news website Business Insider.

We've woken up to the harms that could come from handing over that precious information about our social connections - for journalists it could mean revealing their contacts, for whistleblowers their dealings with regulators, for just about anyone their contacts with people they might not want their partners to know about.

To many, the idea that they should trust Facebook with their data seems more old-fashioned by the day. The company noted that users who had their contacts imported would be notified. Prior to May 2016 users were given the option to voluntarily import contacts to their Facebook account, however, that option then disappeared, but the import functionality remained and the contact importing happened automatically.

"The mistake has been rectified and affected users are being informed, " Facebook added.

In an interview with a Yahoo News podcast she said: "I personally gave up Facebook, which was kind of a big deal because I started my campaign on Facebook".

"Last month we stopped offering email password verification as an option for people verifying their account when signing up for Facebook for the first time", a Facebook spokesperson said an a statement to Mashable.

Popular news

New Hyundai Venue Teased Ahead Of Official Unveil
The central highlight is the 8-inch touchscreen infotainment which runs Hyundai's BlueLink technology with 33 connected features. Moreover, it smallest Hyundai SUV ever has simultaneously made its world debut at the 2019 New York International Auto Show.

€800m pledged to rebuild Notre-Dame
Recreating it fell mainly to artist Caroline Miousse, who worked with a team including Durand and a texture artist for 14 months. France's President Emmanuel Macron has vowed to rebuild the 12th-century building within five years .

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Fighters Pass price & how to buy
By using in-game tools, players can add moving platforms, spinning traps and other unique features to their customized stages. You can now share replays, videos, Mii Fighters and custom stages with people around the world in Shared Content.

Madrid stumble in disappointing draw at Leganes
He took his La Liga tally to 18 goals against Leganes and Carvajal hailed him as Madrid's player of the season. Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane is going to sell off a lot of players during the summer transfer window.

The Jaguar I-Pace is World Car of the Year
The $70,525 luxury vehicle has a range of 234 miles per charge and beat the electric Audi E-Tron and Volvo S60/V60 for the honor. Finally, the World Urban Car award went to the Suzuki Jimny , which held off the Hyundai Atos/Santro and Kia Soul.

Jet Airways to suspend operations from today
Jet still has a market capitalization of almost $400 million, as investors have clung onto hopes of a rescue deal being clinched. The airline said its last flight would operate on Wednesday as it was not able to pay for fuel and other vital services.

Carl’s Jr. Is Releasing a CBD-Infused Burger on 4/20
The chain is collaborating with Colorado-based Bluebird Botanicals - a company that sells CBD oil and capsules - on the product. The agency will hold its first public hearing next month to decide how it will regulate CBD.